## Australia: Selected Issues

_IMF Staff Country Reports, January 18, 2024_

## Source details

**Canonical URL:** [Australia: Selected Issues](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/cr/issues/2024/01/18/australia-selected-issues-543741)

## Other formats

- [Markdown version](/en/publications/cr/issues/2024/01/18/australia-selected-issues-543741/index.md)
- [Structured JSON version](/en/publications/cr/issues/2024/01/18/australia-selected-issues-543741/index.json)
- [Bundle manifest](/en/publications/cr/issues/2024/01/18/australia-selected-issues-543741/bundle-manifest.json)

## Bibliographic details
- Published: January 18, 2024
- Series: IMF Staff Country Reports
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9798400264054.002

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### Overview
- This Selected Issues paper examines macroeconomic impact of migration in Australia.
- Migration in Australia has historically been a significant source of population growth, with a third of the population born overseas.
- Migration is set to become even more important as the population natural growth rate declines.
- Australia attracts some of the best-educated migrants to Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries who are mostly skilled workers and students, with high labor force participation rates and low unemployment.
- Disentangling macroeconomic effects of migration from drivers of migration is challenging.

### Macroeconomic effects and labor market outcomes
- Within Australia, migration surges have historically been associated with:
  - higher growth,
  - favorable labor market outcomes,
  - negligible price pressures except in the housing market.
- Migrants in Australia are mostly skilled workers and students, exhibiting high labor force participation rates and low unemployment.

### Cross-country evidence
- Cross-country analysis using instrumental variables confirms a positive impact of migration on macroeconomic outcomes—output, employment, and productivity—without significant inflationary impact.

### Housing affordability and supply
- While housing affordability is impacted at the margin, this could represent structural supply shortages.
- Policy implication: housing affordability issues would be best addressed by boosting supply.

### Publication and access notes
- The IMF eLibrary offers over 25,000 IMF publications in multiple formats.
- Pages: 21
- Volume: 2024
- Issue: 012
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9798400264054.002
- ISBN: 9798400264054
- Stock No: 1AUSEA2024002
- Series: Country Report No. 2024/012

*International Monetary Fund. Asia and Pacific Dept "Australia: Selected Issues", IMF Staff Country Reports 2024, 012 (2024), accessed 9/11/2026, https://doi.org/10.5089/9798400264054.002*

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## Content in this bundle

- **Australia: Selected Issues; IMF Country Report No. 24/12; December 4, 2023**
  - [Australia: Selected Issues; IMF Country Report No. 24/12; December 4, 2023 (Markdown version)](/-/media/files/publications/cr/2024/english/1ausea2024002.pdf.md){rel="alternate" type="text/markdown"}
  - [Australia: Selected Issues; IMF Country Report No. 24/12; December 4, 2023 (PDF)](/-/media/files/publications/cr/2024/english/1ausea2024002.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"}

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_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/cr/issues/2024/01/18/australia-selected-issues-543741_